Brave and True
by Ethereal Wishes
Summary: AU-What would have happened if Belle had been present during the crocodile episode? This is what I think might have happened if Belle had witnessed Milah's cruel exchange with Rumplestiltskin. [Oneshot]


**Brave and True**

**A/AN: This is just a little something I cooked up when I was thinking about one of Emma's lines in the show when she told Mr. Gold, "Maybe I should just punch you in the face." even though this one shot has nothing to do with Emma. This is what should've happened during "The Crocodile" episode if Belle had been present. I've always wanted to do a Milah/Belle confrontation and here's how I think it might go. If you like "Milah" and bless your soul if you do *gasp*…then you might not want to read this! **

Rumplestiltskin usually didn't take Belle on any of his dealings but tonight he'd asked her to join him. They had stopped in his old village to make a deal with an old woman who's sheep were dying. A deal had been struck to spare her livestock for a golden rose broach. The broach turned out to be a family heirloom the woman had easily parted with for the sake of her family's welfare. Rumplestiltskin had given the ornament to Belle who had pinned it on her dress. He barely ever included her in his dealings let alone gifted her with anything but things had began to change between them. She admired the pendent feeling something foreign stir in her heart for her master.

They had stopped at a tavern before venturing back to the dark castle. Rumplestiltskin had ordered them both an ale as they sat at a solitary table. She noticed a group of men ogling her but one glance from him sent them all scurrying out of the tavern. She was about to ask him a question until a plump man decided to join them at their table.

Rumplestiltskin eyed the intruder with an annoyed look on his face. It wasn't wise to approach the dark one without an "appointment". She was certain the man would be a slug under his boot within a matter of minutes until he began to speak.

" It really is you. The Dark One, in the flesh. Or whatever that is." the stranger spoke clearly not realizing how close to death he was.

**"** You've gone to a lot of trouble to meet me. You better hope I agree it's worth..my..time." Rumplestiltskin warned him clearly unimpressed with their new company. Belle just watched him them in silence wondering what he was going to do.

**"** I've heard you've been looking for something, and as luck would have it, I'm a man who trades in hard-to-find objects…Like a bean. A magic bean that can transport you between worlds." he whispered under his breath, and she had to strain to hear what he was saying.

**"** I've been told they no longer exist in this land." Rumplestiltskin announced dryly taking another sip from his ale.

**"** Not in this land, no. But the ships that dock here often return from far off lands with treasures they don't always understand." the stranger enlightened him.

**"** It's my job, as is knowing the rumors of who might pay the highest price for said treasures." the stranger bragged with a look of pride on his face.

"And what rumors could they be?" Rumplestiltskin inquired warily.

**"**That you were once a great coward but that you became The Dark One to overcome that and protect a- a son who you lost despite all-" Rumplestiltskin had clearly heard enough as he held up his hand to stop the trader from saying another word. The trader gasped for air.

**"**It's not nice to spread rumors! A bean! Where is it?" he hissed. She listened intently afraid to interfere upon the matter. Rumplestiltskin didn't like to be interrupted when he was making a probable deal. He may have held a soft spot for her but that didn't mean she couldn't anger him.

**"** I don't have it. But I can get it. I- I swear. You haven't heard my price." the trader choked out.

" I spin straw into gold. Price shouldn't be a problem." Rumplestiltskin affirmed in a threatening tone.

**"**Oh, I don't want money. I want eternal life." the trader blurted out impulsively.

**"** Only The Dark One has life eternal. Tell you what, my son. What I can do, what about youth? Spin the clock back till you're a little boy again?" Rumplestitskin chortled at such a request. There was no way he was giving this imbecile "eternal" anything.

"Close enough. Deal." the trader obliged.

**"**But remember, you fail to deliver, I spin the clock forward and turn you into dust." Rumplestiltskin cautioned him.

**"** Thank you! Thank you!" the trader replied gratefully before scurrying off.

"Pardon me for asking Rumple but what good will a magic bean do you?" Belle inquired curiously to her master.

"Magic beans can create portals to take you to other lands, and I could use one to find my son." Rumplestiltskin informed, fastening his gaze on her.

"Do you think he really has one?" she asked inquisitively growing excited at the prospect of traveling to new worlds.

"He's a fool…No one has magic beans anymore. I'm just giving him the benefit of the doubt, but I'm sure I'll enjoy ending his miserable existence." he snarled his nose in disgust.

They sat there in silence for awhile. Belle didn't want to push him with any further questions because she could sense his temper flaring up at any moment. The server came back by and asked them if they wanted anything but Rumplestiltskin just waved her on, pressing a few gold coins in her hand for good measure. She looked at him rather dumbfounded but slipped the money in her apron pocket. Belle couldn't help but smile at his generosity. He had a kind heart underneath those scales after all. She had always seen it. The deep contemplation of her thoughts were interrupted when a group of scruffy looking men waltzed into the tavern as if they owned the place. She watched Rumplestiltskin's eyes narrow in displeasure at the sight of them giving her an uneasy feeling.

**"** Where's my scurvy crew?" a man announced loudly clad in a leather jacket. She presumed he was a pirate by his rogue appearance.

**"** Ah! Here we be, Killian!" a group of men called out motioning him over to their table.

**"** Where's my beer?" the captain demanded displeased with the lack of attention he was getting.

" You know, I suddenly find myself quite thirsty." Rumplestilskin smirked at her before standing up to fetch the waitress. She watched him warily as he walked in the direction of the crew sitting at the table on the opposite end of the tavern.

**"**Cheers!" Killian hollered in good spirits. She watched breathlessly out of the corner of her eye as Rumplestiltskin side swiped the lead pirate purposefully. She knew this wasn't going to end well.

**"** Hey, you! Stop. Even gutter rats have more manners than you just displayed." the captain protested eyeing Rumplestiltskin distastefully. She expected he would draw his sword at any moment. What type of dealings did Rumple have with these fiends? He was sneaky, but he never went out of his way to be recognized unless it was a more drastic matter.

**"**No, I'm so sorry, Sir." Rumplestiltskin muttered sarcastically.

**"** Ah. I was wrong. Not a rat at all. More... " The pirate leaned in closer and hit Rumplestiltskin's cup causing his coins to spill all over the ground. She gasped in horror at their display feeling the blood drain from her face. This ignorant pirate had no idea that he was about to meet his fate. She watched Rumplestilskin reach over to pick up the cup.

"More like a crocodile. What's your name?" the captain continued boisterously, pushing her master over with his foot. She clenched her fists angrily, longing to run up to the cretinous pirate and give him a piece of her mind.

Rumplestiltskin allowed his hood to fall around his shoulders giggling impishly.

"Yes I remember you!" the captain countered at his revelation.

__**"** Always nice to make an impression. Where are my manners? We haven't been properly introduced. Rumplestiltskin, or as others know me, The Dark One. Oh! I see my reputation precedes me." he smirked bowing impulsively to the pirate.

"It does." the pirate added.

**"** Good! That's gonna save us time during the question and answer portion of our game." he retorted in his sarcastic tone.

Belle had snuck out of the tavern and was eyeing the exchange curiously wondering what her master would do next. She knew she shouldn't interfere but her curiosity had gotten the better of her. She sensed Rumplestiltskin's animosity towards this man.

**"** What is it you want to know?" Killian demanded ready to engage in a brawl.

"How's Milah, of course?" he inquired with loathing in his eyes. Belle felt her heart begin to beat with anticipation. Rumplestiltskin barely ever mentioned his family, but he had confided in her a couple of months ago about a wife who'd been kidnapped by a gang of pirates. Was this man the one who had kidnapped his former wife? She could sense a tinge of pain and regret in his voice when he said her name.

**"**Who?" Killian inquired feigning ignorance.

**"**Only too happy to, uh, dig out the memory, but it gets really messy." he quipped in an abhorring manner.

**"**She's dead. Died a long time ago. What is it you want?" Killian remarked coldly with calculating blue eyes.

Belle watched the grief flash in his eyes as he drew his sword masking his true emotions," We didn't get a chance to finish our duel.", he smirked evilly as Killian drew his sword. " Ah! Not now. Tomorrow at dawn. I am not a cruel man. Get your affairs in order. Also, you can spend tonight knowing it'll be your last." he giggled in a high pitched laugh.

" Maybe I am cruel. And don't think about trying to escape, because I will find you, and I will gut your entire crew like the fish!" Rumplestitskin threatened in an Italian accent for good measure.

" Pick it up, dearie, and let's begin." the imp commanded picking up his own sword.

**"** There's no need. " the pirate said reaching for his own sword, but Rumplestiltskin quickly swept it away with his magic tauntingly.

**"**Sorry, but killing a man with his own sword was just too delicious to pass up. Hmm?" the imp mocked as the two began to duel.

Belle watched their exchange from the shadows attentively. She just knew that Killian would probably be eating his sword within a matter of minutes. She was always a forgiving person and thought everyone should get second chances, but she felt no remorse for the pirate who had ruined Rumplestiltskin's life. He deserved whatever fate he was given.

"Ships that pass in the night. Well, at least one ship."Rumplestiltskin flung Killian into a pile of barrels. Killian got up and continued to fight. Rumplestiltskin disarmed him, and stepped on his sword before he could pick it up. He placed the tip of his sword at Killian's throat.

**"**No. Do you know what it's like to have your wife stolen from you? To feel powerless to stop it? It feels like having your heart ripped from your chest. Actually, let me show you!" his words pierced the night air as he thrust his hand into Killian's chest, pulling out his heart. Belle watched in awe unable to tear her eyes away from the scene.

"Stop!" she heard a feminine voice intervene. She turned her gaze towards a woman with tan skin and glaring brown eyes. She was dressed in pirate clothes with a very tacky beaded necklace, a gaudy pendent hanging from it. Who was she?

"Milah…" Rumplestiltskin whispered his amber eyes full of disbelief. He almost looked relieved to see her.

" Milah. How?" he stammered to the woman in front of him and that's when Belle realized it was his long lost wife. She felt her heart wrench at this painful revelation. Would he take her back?

**"**Milah, you have to run." Killian warned, stepping protectively in front of her.

" No. I'm not leaving without you." Milah declared fondly to the pirate captain in front of her. 

" Oh, how sweet. It appears there's more to this tale than I know. Tell it to me, Milah." Rumplestiltskin demanded with narrowed eyes.

**"** Please don't hurt him. I can explain." Milah pleaded. Belle was now very intrigued by the trio wanting to hear more of their story. Milah seemed to be in love with this pirate scoundrel and very unrepentant of leaving him.

**"** Tick-tock, dearie. Tick-tock!" Rumplestiltskin warned the pair impatiently.

Milah stared at her former husband with a false sense of sorrow in her brown eyes, " That first night, when Killian and his crew came into the tavern, he told stories about the places he'd been, and I fell in love with him. I didn't mean for it to turn out this way. I didn't know how to tell you the truth. I'm sorry." she confessed begging for mercy.

**"** And so here we are. You've come to save the life of your true love, the pirate. I didn't realize the power of true love before. It is impressive. I'd hate to break it up. Actually, no. I'd love to!" Rumplestiltskin hissed piercing Killian's side with his sword.

Belle longed to take the golden gray skinned imp into her arms and declare her true feelings for him. This cold, heartless, ugly woman in front of him didn't deserve the honor of being his true love.

**"**Wait. I have something you want." Milah countered gaining his attention. Belle's mind welled up with curiosity. What was she going to offer him?

**"** Well, I find that very difficult to believe." he scoffed until Milah pulled out the trader's red hat from the tavern earlier.

" Where did you get that?" Rumplestiltskin demanded.

**"** You know who I took it from. I may not know what The Dark One wants with a magic bean, but I have it." she smirked like she was holding a bone out of a salivating dog's reach.

"Oh, I feel a proposal coming on." the imp retorted, his voice dripping with contempt.

**"** The magic bean in exchange for our lives. Deal?" Milah proposed to him.

"I wanna see it first." he remarked stiffly clearly unconvinced by his ex-wife and why shouldn't he be? She'd deceived him and abandoned him and their son. Belle wanted to rip her heart out herself in that moment, but she refrained from making her presence known. She knew Rumplestiltskin would be furious with her.

"Fine here it is…" she replied bitterly, pulling an opaque bean from her pocket. Rumplestiltskin stared at it incredulity.

"You see it now will you make good on your word…Will you spare our lives?" she inquired ready to make a deal.

"I want to know one thing first…" he told her before taking the bean.

"What more do you seek?" she glowered at him ready to be rid of his presence.

**"** How could you leave Bae? Do you know what it was like walking home that night...  
>...knowing I had to tell our son...that his mother was dead?" Rumplestiltskin said in a dangerous tone.<p>

" I was wrong to lie to you. I was the coward. I knew that." Milah tried to apologize but it fell on deaf ears. Rumplestiltskin was having none of it.

"You left him! You abandoned him!" he shouted angrily.

**"**And there's not a day that goes by that I don't feel sorry for that." she lied truly feeling no remorse within her cold black heart. She had never wanted to be a mother. She wanted him to die on that battlefield, to be rid of him.

"You let him go!" he seethed hatred filling his eyes, truly unleashing the beast within.

"I let my misery cloud my judgment." Milah formulated the excuse swallowing hard.

" Why were you so miserable?" he demanded never fully understanding how she could abandon them.

"Because I never loved you!" she bit back coldly, metaphorically ripping out his heart. Belle watched the cruel exchange. She had heard enough. She emerged from the shadows, fuming. She sauntered in front of Rumplestiltskin who had a dazed look in his eyes, still trying to process his emotions.

"And who are you?" Milah remarked eyeing the chestnut haired beauty distastefully.

"Who I am is none of your business! You have no right to talk to him that way!" Belle exclaimed angrily pushing Milah backwards. She stumbled but quickly regained her footing.

"Who do you think you are threatening me? This man is a monster!" she shot back pointing an accusing finger at Rumplestiltskin.

"No you're the monster! You don't deserve a man like Rumplestiltskin! He's too good for you!" the beauty seethed poking her in the chest threateningly.

"Are you saying you're in love with this beast? You might want to get your eyes checked sweetheart because anyone who could stomach being with someone that ugl-" but Belle had heard enough. She swung her fist meeting Milah's jaw in the process. She heard a loud crack as the dark haired woman fell backwards, hitting the ground hard. Belle bent down and plucked the magical bean out of her hand.

"You better put some ice on that but it's going leave an ugly mark regardless." Belle smirked bending down close to Milah, so she could hear her.

"You better get that cleaned up." She told Killian, pointing to Milah. The look on Rumplestiltskin's face was priceless as she walked past him. He followed behind her quietly whisking them back to the dark castle in a haze of crimson smoke.

"Belle…" he cleared his throat uncomfortably before saying her name. She turned to face him with an endearing look in her eyes.

"Yes Rumplestiltskin?" she inquired smiling gently at him.

"Thank you…" he whispered shyly. She gazed at him affectionately before approaching him. She bravely cupped his face in her hands, looking deeply into his amber eyes more certain of her feelings than ever before.

"I love you Rumplestiltskin." she declared pressing her lips against his own. He wasn't sure how to react to the kiss at first, but he eventually pulled her close, threading his fingers through her chestnut tresses, feeling the pieces of his shattered heart begin to mend.

He pulled away gazing at her ardently. She gave him one of her beautiful smiles he was sure she only reserved for him. "You deserve to be truly loved Rumple, and I can show you that kind of love if you'll give me a chance." she told him with sparkling blue eyes.

"I would like that…" he whispered softly, mesmerized by the sound of her alluring voice.

"Then why don't we go on a new adventure? You've been separated from your son long enough. Let's bring Baelfire home." Belle proposed revealing the bean that sat in her palm.

"Yes let's go find him." the imp agreed reveling in the fact that a brave and beautiful woman was in love with him. He didn't deserve her, but she freely offered him her pure unadulterated heart.

He watched as Belle threw the bean in the center of the floor revealing a swirling green whirlpool of light.

"I don't know where he is!" Rumplestiltskin panicked as he watched the swirling vortex.

"You don't have to know his exact location Rumple. As long as you focus on what's in your heart, then you'll always find each other." she affirmed offering him her hand. He grasped it tightly as they jumped simultaneously into the portal of green light, whisking them away to the world Baelfire resided. He would have his son back shortly and then they would be a complete family again. Yes, with Belle by his side, he was certain he could do anything.

**A/AN: Well it's through! I wanted to take a different stance on this scenario, and Belle punching Milah just made my Rumbelle heart feel a little better. I used most of the script from the episode with a bit of my own added dialogue. I hope everyone enjoyed this story! Please review and thanks again for reading!**


End file.
